[scorcher]

I am trying to locate any photos of Cubitts Yacht Basin
situated near Chiswick Bridge, where the boat race ends.
I lived in Chiswick when I was young and dreamed of living
in an house boat there when I grew up.They redeveloped
it and all trace was lost. It was a magical retreat from the
hurly-burly of London.Plane trees surrounded it and a motley
collection of vessels were nestled in the rectangular basin.
I remember a Victorian steam yacht with clipper bow and
yellow funnel bedecked with geraniums, several MTB"s
converted to houseboats and several other craft.
It was an artist"s paradise and several actors/actresses
and writers lived there I believe.

I have been googling until goggle eyed but have traced
nothing of note.I would like photos to base a painting on.
This would be 1940-1950"s.
A pretty obscure request I know
but worth trying I hope?. Thanks for reading this.

 

[Judith Hilton]

Cubitts Yatch Basin

My God-mother Myf Prys was the manager of the Basin during and after the war. She lived on SS Hiberna. No Photos I'm afraid, the odd story half remembered as a child. Her pride was that every useable craft was made avilable for Dunkirk those that were suspect of not being "friendly" were towed to the middle of the basin and left.

 

[scorcher]

Cubitts yacht basin

My God-mother Myf Prys was the manager of the Basin during and after the war. She lived on SS Hiberna. No Photos I'm afraid, the odd story half remembered as a child. Her pride was that every useable craft was made avilable for Dunkirk those that were suspect of not being "friendly" were towed to the middle of the basin and left.

Thank you for your reply Judith.I was beginning to think I had dreamed it ? I would like to hear of any memories you have of it though.Should you come across anyone who knew your godmother or who lived there and may have photos could you let me know?
Could the vessel have been HIBERNIA and not HIBERNA ? Was it wooden hulled or steel do you know?
Many thanks in anticipation. Best Wishes. Alan.

 

[Judith Hilton]

I always addressed letters to SS Hiberna (perhaps erroniously).

All contacts who would have known her are I suspect long dead.

Cannot help on hull material.

 

[scorcher]

Thank you Judith for your comments.

 

[cdsc123]

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=177

 

[scorcher]

FANTASTIC CLIP!!! Many thanks cdsc123....(==D)
In colour too..the girls are a real bonus..one looks like Marylyn.
I first visited in 1955 when I was 12 years old and I remember
an old Victorian steam yacht (white)complete witrh funnel and
clipper bow bedecked with geraniums as well as a few ex MTB's.
It was paradise but by the time I was working I returned to look for
a houseboat to rent only to find it was closed for redevelopement.
Progress????? not in my book it was a romantic setting then.

I notice that the converted sailing barge begins with "SWALE *******"
I wonder if any barge enthusiasts know of her?.

 

[boat.nick]

Cubitts

I was lucky enough to live on Sea lion from birth until 7rs old when develpors took over, my dad fought to the end to stay but to no avail, so many memories i ionly have contact with eddy williams family Tom Jones son lived on our friends mtb Ariel coco the clown in the corner close to the playing fields I saw a picture of the Magnet when you google cubitts, the fan tailed boat ex steam sailing vessell you saw was the Amazon which, as a child was woken to the sound of burning wood, however Arthur Lowe brought her and did a fatastic job of restoring her to former glory.

 

[boat.nick]

my brother and friends called her Miffy

 

[scorcher]

I envy you boat.nick for the experience you had. Many thanks for your entertaining reply. Thanks to for the name of the AMAZON.
Would you have any old photos at that time as I would like to do a painting based
on it. Sadly there is no fighting developers for they have no respect for those that get in their way.

 

[davidships]

The girl's houseboat was probably the spritsail barge SWALE of Faversham (the "AVE" is visible in the clip). Don't know much about her - only 48 registered tons, built at Faversham in 1894 (which makes her 64 at the time of the film, not the 90 years quoted**).

In the 1920s she was owned by The Associated Portland Cement Manufacturers (1900) Ltd, London.

By 1934 she was owned by Raleigh G. Hollingbery of East Molesey, Surrey, and a few years later by A. Hollingsbury of Morden [suspect something wrong with the spelling here].

Possible just a few of her timbers still to be seen near Hoo on the Medway- http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/9ibiQGO3Zdt3tdKdcAHU8w

**There was another spritsail barge named SWALE, also still around in the 1920s, that was built in 1864, but she was registered at Rochester.

David

 

[scorcher]

Thank you David for your info. Much appreciated.(Thumb) I will keep an eye out for her on any old photos of the Thames that I see.

 

[Gloria Parkinson]

Hello Scorcher, By a fluke I found your original Cubitts (Sp!) posting. In the 1960s I lived there on a 40 ft retired fishing vessel--Takoma. I was a young actress at the time. My first husband and I bought Takoma at its Cubitts mooring only to discover the owner of the basin had sold the basin to a developer. The residents banded together to fight eviction and try and protect the basin. A test case went through the courts--including having the court come down to Cubbitts to see if we were protected under a then new law that protected mobile home owners from eviction--i.e., we made the case the boats were our homes. Sadly, we ultimately lost on a technicality and were made to remove our boats. So yes, I can vouch that the creative colony you recall did exist! I now live in Massachusetts USA.

BTW: I watched the refurbishing of the Arthur Lowe boat described in an earlier post.

 

[scorcher]

Thank you for your comments Gloria. I can relate to the disappointment that you must have felt if not downright anger!!!. I have been Googling and found some links. Here are two, you may or may not be aware that the AMAZON visited Mystic seaport in 2009 !

http://mysticseaport.wordpress.com/2009/12/15/there’s-a-new-lady-in-our-village/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysticseaport/4192638549/in/photostream

also one in our own SN gallery;
http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/95055/title/amazon/cat/508


That would have been a sight to see her ploughing her way through the Atlantic rollers from the bridge of some container vessel !

 

[scorcher]

Previous inhabitants of Cubitts Yacht Basin may be interested in an oil painting
completed by Kenneth Newton there . The AMAZON is present.
Image is lower right hand side link here;
http://***.looksystems.net/Collection/Artist/Newton,_Kenneth_(1933-1984)

 

[BosunsMate]

Barge 'Hibernia'

I always addressed letters to SS Hiberna (perhaps erroniously).

All contacts who would have known her are I suspect long dead.

Cannot help on hull material.

The Hibernia had a wooden hull.

 

[BosunsMate]

MTB 'Ariel"

I was lucky enough to live on Sea lion from birth until 7rs old when develpors took over, my dad fought to the end to stay but to no avail, so many memories i ionly have contact with eddy williams family Tom Jones son lived on our friends mtb Ariel coco the clown in the corner close to the playing fields I saw a picture of the Magnet when you google cubitts, the fan tailed boat ex steam sailing vessell you saw was the Amazon which, as a child was woken to the sound of burning wood, however Arthur Lowe brought her and did a fatastic job of restoring her to former glory.

My father owned the Ariel and I lived aboard as a youngster. He sold it in about 1953. I would be interested to know what became of her. The vessel was moored two away from the barge Hibernia

 

[scorcher]

My father owned the Ariel and I lived aboard as a youngster. He sold it in about 1953. I would be interested to know what became of her. The vessel was moored two away from the barge Hibernia

Would you happen to have any photos taken there? It must have been a very enjoyable childhood . Thanks for your response.

 

[bulto]

Regarding the sailing barge Swale mentioned earlier ,during the late fities/sixties my Father bought her boat for use as a tender for his boat.
She was moored at Richmond just above the half tide lock.
A converted ships boat(from the Armadale Castle,converted by Toughs at Teddington) named Rocinante. Ex Dunkirk boat.

 

[scorcher]

Regarding the sailing barge Swale mentioned earlier ,during the late fities/sixties my Father bought her boat for use as a tender for his boat.
She was moored at Richmond just above the half tide lock.
A converted ships boat(from the Armadale Castle,converted by Toughs at Teddington) named Rocinante. Ex Dunkirk boat.

Thanks for those comments bulto .(Thumb)..just for the record I will post some info on the ARMADALE CASTLE -Union Castle-blt 1903-12973 tgr b/up Blyth 12-6-36.
I assume Toughs was the same as Tough & Henderson, tug owners?